Page 35 of Fall For Me
“Are you considering it?” Dad asks.
“After wearing these god-awful prosthetics? Maybe?” I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. I’ve thought about it, but I’ve also thought of getting a pretty tattoo to cover my scars too. Either way, these past few weeks, I’ve felt more comfortable in my skin than I ever have. If Ido anything it will be because I want to, not because of the way someone might look at me.”
I don’t tell him that Sean makes me feel as though I don’t need to change a single thing about my body.
“What can we do to help support you?” Katherine asks.
“Treat me like you normally would.” I turn toward my dad. “Don’t hover or treat me like a child.”
“You’re always going to be my baby no matter how old you get. I love you.”
“I know Dad. I love you, too. Everything’s going to be okay,” I assure him, even though I’m still scared out of my mind.
“Whatever you need, I’m here for you. Those aren’t empty words. I mean it; you need something, you call me.” Katherine stands and presses a kiss on top of my head. “You have an army, Honey, there’s no need to be a lone soldier.”
As she leaves the room, Dad wraps his arms around me, leaning his cheek on my head.
“She’s really amazing,” I whisper, and he nods in response.
I squeeze him extra tight before releasing him. Pots and pans bang around in the kitchen as Katherine busies herself to give us time alone.
“Do you want to stay for dinner?”
“I actually have somewhere I need to be,” I tell him.
I don’t really have any place to be, but I need to get out of here.
I know it’s not healthy to form a dependency, but when things get tough for me, I crave adrenaline. There’s a pretty black bike I saw yesterday that I’m itching to get my ass on.
“Oooh! We could buy matching ones!”
“There’s no fucking way, I’m ever getting on this death trap,” Aiden says, staring down the beautiful new Ducati I’ve had my heart set on since I saw it.
“And you call yourself my ride or die.” I roll my eyes, laughing at the expression on his face. Looking around to make sure no one is within earshot, I tell him, “Full disclosure . . . I only brought you here to muscle a good deal for me.”
His feet shuffle against the tiled floor as he rounds the bike. “Muscle a good deal for you?”
“Yeah. Look.” I lift the white plastic price tag dangling from the handlebar so he can see the hundred-thousand-dollar price. He lets out a low whistle as I continue, “I know. I need you to talk the salesman down some.”
“So, you want to use my fame to try and take advantage of the sales guy?”
“Yup!”
“At least you’re honest.” He laughs.
Straddling the bike, I lean forward gripping the handlebars.
Aiden looks around and whisper shouts, “I don’t think you’re supposed to be on that yet.”
“It’s going to be mine, anyway,” I whisper shout back.
Closing my eyes, I imagine the speed of the bike, the wind whipping through my hair, leaning side to side, flying in and out of lanes of traffic. Riding this baby would be such a rush.
“You have that look,” an unfamiliar voice says, and my eyes fly open.
Busted.
“She does, doesn’t she? Hi, I’m Aiden Brodie,” he greets the salesman, offering up a handshake.
